Dictation machine



u, Au lo 1954 B. A. PRocToR DICTATION MACHINE Filed April 19, 195o 7 Sheets-Sheet l www www.

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DICTATION MACHINE Filed April 19, 195o '7 sheets-sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

95271027 A7. Proc/b Aug. l0, 1954 B. A. PRocToR DICTATION MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 19. 1950 INVENTOR. fof? A. @aviar ifm/IMK? Aug. 10, 1954 B. A. PRocToR 2,685,772

DICTATION MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 19. 1950 INVENTOR. l fia faa'zzof ug. 10, 1954 B' A P'ROCTOR 2,685,772

DICTATION MACHINE Filed April 19, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 @m j?? ff@ f w 5M a `lll Z? j? y fj .f7f

1N V EN TOR. cg-"fa/y Proc/202 Maf @j y@ Aug. 10, 1954 B. A. P'ROCTOR 2,685,772

DICTATION MACHINE Filed April 19, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. l0, 1954 B. A. PROcToR DICTATION MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 19, 1950 x, N @y IA VEA TOR.

552720,22 A7. Profi-0f BY Y Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE DICTATION MACHINE 1 Claim. ll

This invention relates to dictation machines and has for its primary object the provision of a machine which will be of small size and light weight, inexpensive to manufacture and eilicient and dependable in use.

A salient feature of the invention has to do with turntable drive mechanism, the turntable being driven from a constantly running motor through an operator-controlled electro-magnetic clutch.

A further important feature of the invention has to do with the drive of the pick-up and cutter carriage from the turntable, this drive being effected through a gear which is unitary with a carriage support and is swingable therewith into a position concentric with the turntable in which it is connected to be driven by the turntable.

A further feature of the invention has to do with novel back-spacer mechanism. In accordance with this feature, the carriage is operated through a feed screw, the feed screw being frictionally driven. A ratchet wheel afxed to the feed screw is adapted to be engaged and driven backward step by step, as desired. The carriage is thus backspaced while the record remains stationary.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specication:

Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of an illustrative machine embodying features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a central sectional View taken upon the line 3 3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken upon the line ll-ll of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken upon the line 5 5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken upon the line G-B of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken upon the line 1 -I of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken upon the line 8-8 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken upon the line 2 -S of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken upon the line iii-lo of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary View in front elevation, partly broken away, showing details of the principal manual control lever and associated parts;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional View, showing the feed screw and drive mechanism associated with it;

Figure 13 is a sectional View taken upon the line iS-l of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken upon the line lli-ifi of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 15 is an electrical diagram showing circuits employed in the illustrative machine.

rihe machine comprises a lower frame member i having front and rear walls 2 and 3 (Fig.

3), side walls si and 5 and a top wall 6 (Fig. 6). Frame extension members i and 8 are mounted upon the frame member E.

The top member 6 is formed with cut-outs or openings 9 (Figs. 2 and 6) for lightening the structure, and with a recess I in which a turntable ii operates. The top member t is formed with a circular opening concentric with the turntable axis. A anged cup l2, Fig. 3, is fitted into the circular opening and is attached to the underside of the member i5 by fasteners i3 which extend through the flange I4 of the cup i2 and are threaded into the member 6.

The turntable l i is, itself, formed with a central circular opening in which the upper rim of a flanged cup member i5 is tted (Fig. 3). The turntable is attached by screws t6 to the cup l5, the screws being passed through the turntable and threaded into a ange il' or" the cup. A headed and shouldered bearing screw i8 is passed axially downward through the center of the base of the cup i5 and is threaded into the center of the base of the cup i2. The cup l2 is formed with a rabbet i9 in which a ball bearing 2t is mounted. The bearing balls are arranged to engage the cups I2 and h5 to provide steadying support and frictionless bearing for the turntable.

Beneath the top plate S of the casing member i there is provided a loudspeaker iii (Fig. 3) which is attached in any suitable manner to the iront frame wall 2. The wall 2 is provided with louvers 22 which conceal and protect the loud It speaker while permitting the sound to issue natura-lly from the interior of the frame.

Mechanism for driving the turntable is also supported beneath the wall il, being suspended from the wall 5, itself. The drive mechanism comprises a motor 23 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) which is carried by brackets 24. The brackets 2li are secured between felt washers 25 and 2li upon the Shanks of screws 2l. The parts are clamped tol gether by means of nuts "it threaded on the respeotive screws 2l. The motor shaft 29 has fast upon it a fan 3? for circulating cooling air, and the wall 3 adjacent the fan is formed with numerous periorations 3i so that air may pass through. The shaft 2t also has fast upon it a flanged pulley 32 which, through a belt 33, drives a massive pulley 34 of comparatively large diam-- eter. The pulley 34 serves also as a ily-wheel.

The pulley 34 is revolubly mountedupon a shaft 35 (Fig. 3.), which shaft is supported from the wall t by a block 3S. The pulley 34 includes a central sleeve portion 3l which bears upon the shaft A clutch member 3S is slidably mounted upon the sleeve portion 3'! and is formed with one or more; projecting pins 3S which pass into openings 4@ of the pulley 35 so that the clutch member will always turn in unison with the puiley, regardless of its position axially of the shaft. The clutch member 38 is formed with a circumferential groove 4i in which shoes 42, see Fig. 7 also, of a shifting fork are received. The clutch member .:l is adapted to be shifted into and out of engagement with a complementary clutch member 44.

The clutch member d is revolubly mounted upon an enlarged portion 45 of the shaft 35 between the block 3S and the inner end of the sleeve portionA L?? or" the pulley lili. The clutch member lill carries a feed wheel 46 having a rubber tire 4'! which is adapted to bear against the lower face of the turntable li for driving the turn table.

The purpose of the clutch is to enable the motor 23 and the pulley 34 to run constantly while permitting the turntable to be started and stopped at will'.

The clutch is electro-magnetically controlled by switch plunger 4t (Fig. l5) which is carried by the niiorophone When the plunger t@ is in its released position, the plunger-controlled switch member 5@ is permitted to engage a contact el, thereby to,v short-circuit the winding 52 ci an electro-magnetic coil 53, see ig. 3 also, thus permitting the armature 5t of the electro-magnet to be thrust away from the coil, The armature 54 engages one end of a bent rooL 55 which is slidably mounted in arms 5t, 5l, of a bracket 58. Between the arms et and 5i the rod 55 is surrounded by a compression coil spring 59 and a collar t6, the collar being secured in xed position upon the rod by means of a set screw 6 l. The spring 5% is interposed between the arm 5'! and the collar E@ and tends to urge the rod 55 toward the right as the parts are seen in Figure 3. The shifting fork i3 is aiiixed to the rod 55 by means of a set screw t2.

As the parts arel shown in Figures 3 and l5, respectively, the electro-magnet is unenergized, so. thatv the spring 5S is effective through the fork 43 to shift the clutch member 38 into engagement with the clutch member 44, thereby to drive the feed wheel fit. When the dictator wishes to interrupt the feeding of the record temporarily, he releases the plunger it to break the oontacts between the members 56 and 5l. Current then flows through the winding 52 of the electromagnet, causing the armature 54 to be drawn toward the left against the resistance or the spring 59, and causing the clutch member 3E to be shifted to a disengaged position. The clutch member 38 continues to turn with the pulley 34 but the clutch member 44 and the feed wheel 4S come quickly to rest.

Although the feed wheel 46 is adapted to engage the lower margin of the turntable i l, it does not do so unless the turntable, which is slightly bendable but resilient, is pressed down against the roller 45. For bending the turntable l i downward and pressing it against the feed wheel 4t, an idler roller 53 is provided, this roller being located above the turntable and a short distance inward from the feed wheel 46 (Figs. 3 and 6). 'Ihe roller t3 is revolubly supported upon a pivot pin E4 which is carried between ears B5 of a lever S5. The lever lit is supported upon a rock shaft t1. which is carried by ears 63 o the bracket member 8. The bracket member 8, it will be noted, comprises a front wall t9 (Fig. 2), a rear wall it, a side wall 'H and a bottom wall 12. All of the walls except the walls lil and l' l stand at a level to. provide comfortable. clearance space above the turntable` for the record. The ears tt are disposed atV the left hand extremity of the bottom wall 12 (see Fig. 6).

The lever 65 is controlled by a cam follower roller i3. (Figs. 2 and 6). The roller 'i3 is pivotaily supported between ears 'I4 of a bail member '55. The member l5 is aixed to a spring leaf l5 which constitutes an extension of the lever t'. The leaf 'l is secured to the lever tt by screws "El and is capable of bending away from the lever to a limited extent. An upstanding threaded stem l is provided on the end of the lever 66 to extend upward through the spring leaf. A knurled adjusting nut 'is is threaded on the stem la in position to overlie the spring leaf 'i8 and to limit bending of the latter. A leaf spring Bil secured at one end to the wall l2 by screw 8! has its free end disposed to engage in a hole in one of the ears 'i4 and bear downwardly so as to urge the lever 68 constantly in a clockwise direction (Fig. 6).

The roller 'i3 rides upon a cam formation 84 which is fixedly secured upon a manual control lever 85. The lever is xed upon an upright stem or shaft 8S which is rotatably mounted in a post 3l, the post forming part of the bracket wall '12. The lever is operable to an extreme left-hand position marked neutral (Fig. 1) to carry the low portion of the cam 84 beneath the followeil roller i3, thereby to cause the idler roller 53 to be lifted out. of engagement with the record ell. As soon as the pressure of the roller 63 against the record 9E) isV relieved, the turntable margin springs` upward out of engagement with the feed roller 46.

Next to the low, portion which is eifective in the neutral condition, the cam has a sloping portion which leads into an extensive highl portion of uni-- form height. This portion of the cam is effective both in the intermediate position of the lever 85., which is the reproducing position, and in the right-hand position of the lever, which is the recording position. The idler roller 63 therefore makes the feed roller llt effective in both the rcproducing and the recording positions of the lever S5. Whether or not the record will be fed will still depend, however, upon whether the switch plunger 43 is thrust inward or is left free. When the lever 85 is moved to the neutral position,

however, the drive mecharnsfn rendered inoperable to drive the record regardless of the condition of the switch plunger 48.

The machine comprises the microphone 49 (Fig. 15) and a cutter 9| which are used for recording and an electrical pickup 92 and a loud speaker 93 which are used for reproducing. The microphone and cutter on the one hand and the pickup and speaker on the other are made alternatively effective by a switch 94. In the neutral and reproducing positions, the switch members 95 and 9S engage contacts 91 and 98, respectively, to make the pickup and speaker effective. As the lever 85 is moved to recording position, however, it causes the switch members 95 and 9% to be shifted into engagement with the contacts 99 and to render the pickup and speaker ineffective and the microphone and cutter effective. The switch 94 is mounted upon the side wall Ii (Figs. 2 and 6) of the bracket 8, and is controlled by two operating buttons |0|. An arm |02 made fast on the stem 86 for rotation in unison with the lever 85 carries rollers |03 which are carried into position to depress the buttons |0I as the lever 85 reaches the recording position. It is this depression of the buttons which breaks the microphone and cutter circuit and establishes the pickup and speaker circuit. The circuits will be more completely described at a subsequent point.

The pickup 92 and cutter 9| are mounted upon a carriage |04 (Figs. 2 and 8), whereby they are shifted or fed from the outer margin toward the center of the record as the recording or reproducing progresses. The carriage is supported and guided upon a pair of parallel rods IIIE and |01 which are supported in a rockable frame |00 (see Fig. 6 also). The frame |08 is rockably supported in bearing arms |09 of the side bracket 'i by means of bearing screws I I0. The purpose of rockably supporting the bracket |08 is to enable the bracket and the parts carried by it to be rocked up out of the way when a record is being put in place upon the turntable or removed from the turntable, and to establish a drive from the turntable to the carriage after the record has been put in place.

The frame |08 revolubly supports a shaft I|| (Figs. 2 and 3) upon the lower end of which a gear-like member ||2, having straight and beveled tooth portions, is made fast (see Fig. also). The rod or shaft also has fast upon it a worm |I3 which drives a worm wheel H4. The worm wheel ||4 is mounted upon a shaft i5 upon which a feed screw |B is also mounted,

the worm wheel being connected to drive the feed screw frictionally, as will be presently described and explained. The gear I I2 is positively driven from the turn table by means of pins I Il which are set in the rim of the cup member I5 and protrude radially inward beyond the wall of the cup to engage between the teeth of the gear member I2. As the gear member is lowered into place, the pins |I'| readily find the grooves between the teeth of the gear.

The assembly for frictionally driving the feed screw ||6 is best illustrated in Fig. l2. The feed screw includes bearing portions ||8 and I9 which are mounted respectively in bearing arms and |2I of the rocking frame |08. A shaft I I5 passes freely through the feed screw, is rotatably supported by it, and serves to support the other parts of the assembly.

The worm wheel II4 is made fast upon the shaft I5 by means of a set screw |22. A friction washer |23 is interposed between the worm wheel ||4 and a disc |24. A pin |25 projetcs from the hub of the disc |24 and enters a notch in the end of the feed screw I I6 for driving the screw.

' At the right hand side of the bearing arm |20, there is mounted on the shaft I5 a back-spacing ratchet wheel |26 whose hub is provided with a pin |27 which enters a slot in the bearing portion IIS of the feed screw for constraining the feed screw and the ratchet wheel to turn at all times in unison with one another. A friction washer |28 is pressed against a face of the ratchet wheel |20 by a disc |29. A pin |30 secured in the shaft I|5 to extend radially outward therefrom is received in a slot formed in the hub of the disc |29. A collar |32 is affixed to the shaft H by a set screw 33, the collar being disposed at a short distance from the disc |29. A compression coil spring |34 surrounds the shaft between the collar |32 and the disc |29 and bears at its opfposite ends against the collar and the disc to urge them away from one another.

Since the pin |30 causes the disc |29 to be positively driven by the shaft H5, the disc acts through the washer |28 to frictionally drive the ratchet wheel |26, and through the ratchet wheel to frictionally drive the feed screw llt. Thus the frictional drive of the feed screw is accomplished directly from the worm wheel I4 through the washer |23 and the disc |24 and indirectly from the worm wheel I|4 through the shaft IIE, the disc I 29, the washer |28 and the ratchet wheel |22. The tendency of the spring |34 is to move the disc |29 toward the left relative to the shaft i I5 and the worm wheel I4. Equal pressures are applied by the spring to the two frictional driving clutches described.

An angle bracket |35 secured upon the bearing arm |2| by means of a screw |36 is formed with an upturned arm which engages a bearing ball I3?. The bearing ball bears in a conical recess formed in the left hand end of the shaft H5. Similarly, an angle bracket |38 secured to the rocking frame '|00 by means of a screw |39 is formed with an upturned end which engages a bearing ball ist. The bearing ball |46 engages in a conical recess formed in the right hand end of the shaft I i5. Thus, the longitudinal position of the shaft is fixed while the feed screw and its associated parts can be moved longitudinally of the shaft by the spring |34 to provide the desired bearing pressure against the friction washer |23 and the worm wheel I I4.

It is desirable that the carriage shall be fed from the circumferential margin toward the center of the record as the recording or reproducing progresses, and it is for this purpose that the feed screw is provided. It is also desirable, however, that the carriage shall be movable along the feed screw when desired, independently of rotation of the feed screw. The carriage |04 includes a forwardly reaching arm |4| (Figs. 2, 8 and 14) upon which a worm gear |42 isy carried for engaging the feed screw.

A shaft |43 having an eccentric bearing portion is rotatably mounted in the arm MI. A disc |45 having opposed parallel at faces lll is secured upon the shaft I 43 above the arm 3| and provides a means whereby the shaft can be rotatably adjusted. The worm gear |42 is rotatably mounted upon the eccentric bearing HM. A friction washer |41 of felt or other suitable material bears against the lower face of the gear |42, being pressed thereagainst by a metallic plate |48 which is secured upon the lower end of the shaft |43.

The shaft M3 is normally xedl against rotation by means of a set screw lill), the set screw being threaded through a portion of the arm l4l into engagement with the shaft. The set screw may be loosened, however, to permit rotation of the shaft, at which time the upper disc or head M5 would be engaged by a wrench and turned. Such turning is effective to adjust the rotative position of the eccentric bearing lfl and, therefore, to shift the worm wheel |42 toward and from the feed screw ll so as to bring about a proper engagement of the parts. When the desii-ed adjustment has been effected, the set screw l 49 is tightened.

The friction exerted by the washer M8 and plate lill normally prevents rotation of the worm gear M2 about the axis of the eccentric bearing hill. When it is deisred, however, to thrust the carriage toward one end or the other of the feed screw llt, the Washers lill and |48 offer no subn stantial impediment to such operation.

The carriage pivctally supports the cutter Sl upon a bearing pin itil (Figs. 8 and l0) the cutter including ferro-magnetic side plates l5! (Fig. 9) formed with ears which bear upon the pin A permeable` block l53 is clamped between the upper ends of the plates l5l, the plates being drawn toward one another by means of screws itfi and a screw la. The plates carry upper inwardly reaching blocks l55 which, through the medium of non-permeable spacers lt, clamp between them the upper end of a thin blade-like ferro-magnetic stylus carrier l5?. The stylus carrier extends downward through a coil 53 and between inwardly reaching pole pieces l59. The cutting stylus l5!) is secured in the carrier lill to extend beyond the lower end thereof.

A leaf spring ll is secured upon the arm lill by screws The spring normally bears against the upper end of the cutter ill, pressing it downward against the record with a desired cutting pressure. As will be explained, however, the cutter is adapted to be rocked upward against the resistance of the spring and held in elevated position when the machine is set in either the neutral or the reproducing condition. For this purpose, the cutter is provided on its forward face with a bearing pin i511 upon which a roller E is rotatably mounted. A description of the remainder of the mechanism for rockingk the cutter will be deferred for the present, but will be given after the construction and mounting of the reproducing pickup has been described.

he reproducing pickup 92' (Fig. S) is flexibly and yieldably carried upon a sheet it of rubber or other suitable material. The sheet it is secured at one end to the carriage lfl by a screw ia and at the other end to the pickup 92 through a headed screw it?, a washer l and a knurled nut itS. The shank of the screw ll passes down through the washer his and the body of the pickup 92 and has the nut lli!! threaded upon its lower end. The mounting can be made more or less rigid as desired, by tightening or backing off the nut 69. The connection of the rubber plate IGS to the pickup 92 is at the rear end of the pickup, while the reproducing stylus lf'l'ii is carried at the opposite or forward end of the pickup body. At the forward end, a strap ill is secured to the lower face of the pickup body and is provided with an ear lf2 through which a headed pin ll3 is passed upward.

The pin ll'' also extends through out-turned ears l'l'dV (Figs. 9 and 110) of a stationary bracket H5, the bracket being mounted upon the carriage arm Ml by means of screws l'll. The upper end of the pin H3 is threaded and has screwed onto it a nut l'i'i which may be adjusted in position as desired. A bail llt pivotally mounted in posts lle (Figs. 2, 8 and 9) of the frame IBB has its body portion disposed beneath the nut i'l'i. The body portion of the bail HS extends parallel to the axis of the feed screw lit and is therefore in position to cooperate uniformly with the nut ll'l in any position to which the nut may be moved by the carriage lllli. The bail |78 is provided for the purpose of shifting the reproducing stylus il@ into and out of engagement with the record. The mechanism for bringing about such operation will now be described.

lit will be remembered that recording conditions are established by shifting the lever t5 to its right-hand limit of movement, as illustrated Figures l, 2 and ll, that reproducing conditions are established by shifting the lever t5 to an intermediate position, and that neutral conditions are established by shifting the lever l5 to its left-hand limit of movement.

With the lever in the recording position, the reproducing stylus itil is heid up by the bail out of engagement with the rod, while the recordstylusl lli@ is permitted to engage the recor'.

The bail il@ is held up at this time by a wire lever it@ (Figs. 2 and 8). The lever lii has an arm itil which rests upon the upper surface of a shelf lever i, the latter lever being supported for rocking movement upon a headed pivot pin 33 that extends parallel to the axis of the feed screw. The body portion liil of the lever lli@ is rockably mounted between plates ist and ille to define a pivot that extends in a plane at right angles to the axis of the feed screw. rThe plates and i895 are secured to the front portion of the frame extension S by means of a screw iti. Ifhe lever lSl has a second arm itt, whose outer end is turned to form a long finger lfi that extends parallel to the pivotal axis of the lever. rihe finger lait extends beneath the bail llt.

The finger It is raised when the shelf lever is rocked in a direction to raise the arm l8l and is lowered when the shelf lever m2 is rocked in a direction to allow the arm ltl to be lowered. Raising of the nger ilil raises the bail and lifts the reproducing stylus illiout of contact with the record. Lowering of the finger 89 permits the bail itl to descend and the reproducing stylus l'lu to be lowered into engagement with the record, Sl.

The shelf lever lli?, which controls the lifting lowering of the reproducing stylus llt through the train of mechanism described, coordinatelyand concomitantly controls the lowering and lifting of the recording stylus itil. The shelf lever, at the opposite side of its pivot from the side engaged by the arm ll, is formed with a prolongation in the form of a rail it@ that extendsl parallel to the axis of the feed screw. The roller lE5 which is carried by the cutter rides upon the shelf lever and the rail prolongation thereof throughout the travel of the cutter with the carriage. In the position of the parts illustrated in Figures 2 and 8, the left-hand side of the shelf lever E32 is depressed to lower the cutter itl and the rightehand side is raised to raise the pickup 92. i

As the lever 85. is shifted from the recording position to the reproducing position, it moves across. the upper face of a lever l9l (Figs. 2 and l1) which is supported through pivot pin l92 on the front wall 59 of the frame extension 3. The

lever |9| carries at its free end a laterally extending bracket H93 through which a screw |94 is threaded downward. The screw |94 rests upon an extension |26 of the shelf lever |82. As the control lever 85 moves into the reproducing po sition, the lever 9| acts through the screw |94 to depress the extension ist of the shelf lever. This causes the shelf lever to be rocked in a clockwise direction and hence brings about the lowering of the reproducing stylus |143 and the raising ofthe cutting stylus it. A spring |97 bears against the lower side of the extension .|92 to maintain the shelf lever normally in the correct position for recording so long as the control lever S is maintained in the recording position. The spring |91 is secured to the frame extension 8 by means of a screw |98.

As the operation of the control lever 35 is continued toward the left to the neutral position, the reproducing stylus continues to engage the record and the recording stylus continues to be held up out of the way. Movement of the control lever 85 to the neutral position does, however, have' the effect of lifting the idler roller 63 out of engagement with the record. This, as has been previously pointed out, takes the pressure off the turntable and permits the turntable, through its own resiliency, to rise slightly and to leave en gagement with the feed roller 45 so the feeding of the turntable, the record, and the carriage is interrupted.

The rockable frame |08 is adapted to be latched down in operative position. For this purpose, it is provided with a locking plate |99 (Figs. 2 and ll) having an out-turned lip 20D at its upper extremity. The plate |99 is secured to the rockable frame H08 by means of a screw 26|. A latch lever 202 is pivotally mounted upon a vertical pivot screw 203, carried by an extension of the front wall 69 of frame member 8, and is formed with a ylocking projection 264 for cooperating with the lip Zll as in Fig. 11. IThe lever 282 is urged to locking position by a wire spring 225. The spring` 225 has one end turned downward to penetrate deeply into the body of the lever, see Fig. 13. The other end of spring extends alongside of a screw 265 which is threaded downward into the frame member 69, and beneath a washer 221 which is held down by the head of the screw 236.

The spring is forced to bend when the locking lever is rocked away from locking position. Since the tendency of the spring is to recover its straight condition, the spring automatically restores the lever 202 to locking position when permitted to do so. The locking lever 202 is provided with a projecting arm 229 which is engaged by the control lever 85 to operate the locking lever to unlocking position as an incident of the movement of the control lever into the neutral position. When the control lever is in the neutral position, where it is held by frictional contact with spring pressed lever ISI, the rockable frame |08 is free to be lifted out of the way so that the old record may be removed and a new record put in its place.

Incidental reference has been made to the back-spacing racket wheel |26 which forms one element in the drive connections between the shaft ||5 and the feed screw IIE. It will be recalled that the shaft ||5 and feed screw IIS are driven from the turntable through high reduction gearing consisting of the worm I3 and the worm wheel H4. This constitutes an irreversible drive so that the record, itself, is never turned backward during back-spacing operations, The fric- 10 tional drive of the feed screw is provided to enable the feed screw to be operated backward relative to the shaft ||5 and the worm wheel |24. Reverse operation of the feed screw will move the carriage radially outward even though there be no concomitant rotation of the record. The ratchet wheel |25 is so designed that a single tooth space feed of the wheel will shift the carriage one line space of the record, or, in the case of the illustrated mechanism, a distance of one two-hundredth of an inch.

The ratchet wheel |26 normally turns with the feed screw in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 8, and is adapted to be operated in the reverse direction by a pawl 2m, see Fig. 2 also, which is pivotally mounted on a pivot screw 2| i carried by an ear 2|2 of a slide 2|3. The slide 2|3 is formed with a pair of slots 2| 4 and 2 I5. A headed stud 2 6 has its shank passed through the slot 2|4 and secured in the frame member 8. A pin 2| l formed with a collar 2id has its lower end portion passed through the slot 2|5 and secured in the frame member 8. An upper projecting portion of the pin 2H is connected through a tension coil spring 2|3 to an upright operating handle 2|9 which is affixed to the slide.

The nose of the pawl 2M, when in retracted position, is supported by the frame member 8 in a position clear of the path of the ratchet wheel. As the slide is pulled forward, however, by the handle 2id the nose rides oif the frame member 8 into position to engage a tooth of the ratchet wheel and feed it backward.

Since the back spacing operation may nnd the active tooth of the ratchet wheel at any point in the active range, the first back-spacing step will be of indeterminate extent. Because of the flexible mounting of the reproducing pickup, a fraction of a line, which is equivalent to a fraction of the tooth space of the ratchet wheel, is apt not to back-space the reproducing stylus at all. By operating the slide two or more steps, however, a desired amount of back-spacing can be effected.

The reproducing and recording styluses are arranged in a line at right angles to the axis of the feed screw. The feed screw necessarily extends parallel to a radius of the record. The two styluses are disposed at opposite sides of this radius and equi-distant from it. The reproducing stylus is thus caused to track the cutting stylus.

In the diagram of Figure 15, A. C. power is furnished through conductors 22! and 22|, a main control switch 222 being interposed in the conductor 22|? ahead of all the mechanism. The

closing of the switch 222 connects the motor 23 in circuit through conductors 223 and 222, causing the motor to be in continuous operation so long as the control switch 222 remains closed. The conductors 22@ and 22| are also connected to one another through the primary winding 225 of a transformer 228. A secondary winding 221 furnishes cathode Current to a full wave rectifier tube 223. Other secondary windings 229 and 232 are effective in alternation to transmit current through the tube and out as direct current to the line 2M which feeds the plate circuits of amplifier tubes 232 and 233. The plate current is transmitted to ground through connections 234 and 235 and is returned from ground through a conductor 236 to a center tap provided between the secondary windings 229 and 23|).

When the microphone is operative, voice modulations are applied over conductor 231 and the modulations, transmitted through switch and volume control rheostat 22,5 to grid 239 control the output of the rst ampliiier stage. The output of the tube 233 is coupled to the grid 2&5 or the second amplifier tube 252, while the plate circuit of the second amplifier tube includes a primary transformer winding 26S which induces current into the cutter circuit through a seccndary winding 252. One end of the winding is connected to ground while the other is connected through a conductor switch 96 and conductor it to the cutter di, the cutter being also connected to ground.

When the pickup is operative, the current sup-- plied by the pickup is transmitted through conductor 57, switch 95 and volume control rheostat 23S to apply bias to the grid i339 of tube 233. This control voltage is utilized by the amplifier tubes and circuits in a manner previously described but in this instance, the current induced in second-- ary winding 2132 is not transmitted to the cutter but is transmitted over conductor 2F23, switch Si@ and conductor 53 to the loud speaker The conductor 2li/i which connects winding 2M with tube 232 has connected to it a shunt circuit which includes a resistance 255, a condenser Sidi and a neon tube EME which serves as a volume indicator. The shunt circuit is connected to ground at 26S. The shunt circuit is by-passed by a capacitor 255.

The current which ilows over conductor may travel between the conductor and ground through either of two alternative paths. @ne of these paths, through conductor electromagn net winding 52 and conductor 25E, is constantly7 maintained. This path is adapted to be byM passed and short circuited, however, by the switch 5e and the conductor 5i. The switch members 55 and 5i are normally in engagement with one another so that the short circuit is maintained. In this condition of the parts, the current dowing through the winding 52 is insufficient to influence the armature 561 and hence the clutch members :il and Mi are normally engaged to cause the record to be driven. The operator may, however, operate the switch plunger 53 at will to break the circuit at the switch 5d, 5l, thus causing all the current to flow through the winding 52. This causes the armature 55 to bel drawn toward the left so that the clutch member 32 is shifted out of engagement with the clutch member and V Because of the mass of the flywheel pulley 35, the t,

record and turntable are brought almost instantaneously up to normal 'driving speed as soon as the sWitch plunger 48 is released.

Ii the dictator is required to leave the machine for a short time, he simply shifts the control lever 85 over into neutral position, thus interrupting the feed while leaving the motor running. if, however, dictation is completed, or a protracted interruption occurs for any cause, the operator Will open the master switch 222, thereby cutting ofi all current supply to the machine. A red light 253 connected in parallel with the motor across the conductors 22e and 22E is subject to control of the master switch 222 and indicates whether or not the power to the machine is turned on. yThe volume control rheostat 238 is operated from a control knob 254 (Fig. 1).

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. l do not wish, however, to be conned to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters datent is set forth in the appended claim.

i claim:

A dictation machine comprising, in combination, a normally hat, slightly bendable resilient turntable for normally supporting a record in a horizontal plane, a feed wheel engageable 'with said turntable and disposed beneath a margin of said turntable at a short distance therefrom, an idler roller above said turntable Vdeposed a short distance centerward from said iced wheel and operable toward the turntable, to press the turn.- table into driven engagement with said feed wheel, and away from said turntable to permit the turntable to spring out of engagement with the reed wheel, a constantly running motor, a normally rotatable iy wheel connected to said motor, a clutch connecting said fly wheel and said feed wheel, a spring normally holding the clutch engaged, and electro-magnetic mechanism under the control of a manually operable switch for disengaging the clutch 'to arrest the turntable feed.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Hate 983,861 Pool Feb. 7, 1911 1,940,089 Harrison Dec. 19, 1933 1,979,829 Gramann Nov. 6, 193e 2,030,638 Johnson Feb. 1l, w36 2,104,241 Proctor Jan, fr, 1938 2,387,010 Clausen Oct. 16, 1945 2,391,784 Johnston Dec. 25, 1945 2,568,869 Rieber Sept. 25, 1951 

